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The Honda Elite scooter represents a new entry into the 2010 Honda scooter lineup, delivering efficient two-wheeled fun for commuters and enthusiasts.

Honda recently invited Motorcycle USA to the Luxe Hotel, in swanky Bel-Air, for a different kind of press introduction. The plan was simple: Test the new 2010 Honda Elite scooter while dashing around Hollywood and Santa Monica on a poker run and taking creative shots of the small-displacement Elite at various LA landmarks along the way. After hearing our task, my hopes were high. Surely, I’d draw a straight flush in the poker run and when Scarlett Johansson saw my adorable red test scooter at a stop light in Beverly Hills, she’d hop aboard to give me a private two-up tour of Hollywood. They say, after all, that you meet the nicest people on a Honda. And Scarlett has always seemed pretty nice to me…

The Elite is one of two new Honda scooters debuting in the 2010 lineup - the other being Honda’s SH150i. The two scoots shore up the wide displacement gap in Honda’s scooter line between the 582cc Silver Wing maxi scooter and the 50cc Ruckus and Metropolitan. The Elite sources the same engine platform as Honda’s latest fuel-injected Cub 110, a 108cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke. The lone 50mm-wide cylinder slams up and down a 55mm stroke, with a single overhead cam controlling the two-valve head, while the same Honda V-Matic belt system running the entire Japanese marque’s scooter fleet transfers power to the rear wheel.

Fire up the electronic start and the Elite’s smooth nature immediately impresses with no rattling and a whisper-quiet idle. Fueling from the seamless Honda PGM-FI (programmable fuel injection) delivers a pert response at the throttle and surprisingly quick acceleration. Sure, twisting the grip ain’t going to deliver Hayabusa power, but savvy city commuters can dash off the green lights with plenty of pop. The Elite’s zip also enables the quick passes and darting maneuvers required in high-intensity metropolitan traffic, like speedy left-hand turns.

Having sampled Honda’s 50cc powerplant in its Ruckus with less-than-appreciative results, the Elite’s spunky get-up-and-go 110 made us believers shortly after motoring out of the Luxe’s parking lot down Sunset Boulevard. Go figure, doubling the displacement aids in performance! Where the 50cc struggles, unmodified, to approach 40 mph, the Elite reaches 50 mph with ease (and could undoubtedly exceed the 50-mph mark if de-restricted). Those extra 10 mph make

The 108cc Single powering the Elite produces attractive power for the street, more than enough for everything but high-speed divided highways and the freeway.

all the difference in the world of gritty urban street traffic, doubly true in LA where larger surface streets can be every bit as hectic as the copious freeways. Speaking of which, the superslab is about the only place the Elite can’t roam, its sub-149cc displacement making it illegal on California Interstates.

As much pep as the Elite’s engine provides, we were more surprised with its brakes - a single 190mm disc with 2-piston caliper up front and a rear 130mm drum. The right lever only activates the front disc configuration, but applying the rear drum activates the front disc via Honda’s linked combined braking system (CBS). The CBS is so effective we used the left lever almost exclusively, and the rear was difficult to lock up too, making it very amenable to the entry-level riders the Elite figures to attract.

The suspension, a 33mm front fork and single rear shock, delivered a jarring ride on LA’s cratered-out surface streets, and the small scooter wheels (12-inch front and 10-inch rear) didn’t help matters. But we won’t complain, as the Elite’s chassis holds up to speedy maneuvering and hustling down the relatively curvy terrain of Sunset Boulevard had us grinning - feeling way more stable than expected from a small scooter.

While leg room on the Elite is cramped for taller riders, the ergos are better suited to larger riders than many small-displacement scooters we've ridden.

Overall the riding position is comfortable and the controls felt more in tune ergonomically than other Asian-built scoots we’ve ridden. Leg room is cramped for our 6’1” frame, but most scooters elicit the same complaint from us.

At a claimed 254-lb curb weight, the Elite feels light and easy to toss around. The small dimensions and steering geometry are pure scooter and it’s remarkable how simple it is to morph into full-on scooter mischief mindset. Impromptu U-turns everywhere, jumping curbs, brief sidewalk detours, parking where ever we pleased (the centerstand is quite easy to operate)… There are many intangibles to scooter ownership that can’t be quantified until behind the controls, not the least of which is squeezing through traffic thanks to Californian lane splitting (on a completely editorial side note, the entire country needs to get on board with the lane splitting concept to encourage ridership. It’s so convenient for two-wheeled commuters!).

The 1.6 gallon tank will get you in the 160-mile range based off Honda’s claim of 100 mpg efficiency. The eyeball guesstimate carting around our 205 lb frame through 40 miles or so of famous Hollywood landmarks is somewhere in the 90 mpg range. The incredible gas mileage combined with its exhaust catalyst and clean-burning PGM-FI, reinforce the Elite’s eco-friendly creds as a daily commuter.

Honda produces an simple and, more important, useful control panel (top left).
The Honda Elite's linked CBS braking system applies the front disc when the rear drum is
activated (top right). The underseat 35-liter storage is supplemented by an (bottom left)
accessory top case for $144 (bottom right).

Fit and finish looked quite good on the Elite, which is built in one of Honda’s Taiwan plants. The control panel is simple and useful: Temperature gauge on the left, speedometer in the middle, fuel gauge on the right – no digital display with real-time mpg calculations or range (or any number of cute but useless info found on many a motorcycle…). The Elite also sports a novel anti-theft device, with a metal plate that covers the key entry and is removable by using the magnetized key fob. Sure, not the most high-tech deterrent, but maybe effective enough to baffle a potential thief toward easier pickins. The Elite’s also not a bad scoot to look at either – not the flashiest out there but very Honda.

Built-in storage being a key scooter advantage, the Elite boasts an impressive 35-liter underseat capacity holding a full face helmet with room to spare. Two underseat hooks can securely hang two helmets by their D-rings, allowing even more room underneath. A $144 accessory top case adds an additional 27 liters of stowaway space and the Elite can haul a sizable amount of stash for those cross-town errands. Another accessory feature is a $190 windscreen.

The extra $500 to bump up from Honda's 50cc scoots to the Elite is a wise investment.

As for the total asking price, $2999 gets you Honda build quality and reliability (with a one-year warranty), pitting it directly with the Yamaha Vino 125 ($2899). The extra performance 59cc of displacement brings is well worth the extra $500-600 to step up from the Ruckus and Metropolitan. As for the freeway-accessible SH150i, riders will pay a steep $1500 premium in MSRP. It is little wonder that Honda reps tell us dealers are ordering heavy on the Elites – which may prove to be a wise move, in particular if “clunker” commuters get another taste of $4 gas.

Our short three-hour test ride saw us return to the Luxe with a smile plastered on our face. Sure, we absolutely flopped on our poker run hand (one of a kind – Queen high) and, no, Scarlett Johansson didn’t materialize to sample the Elite’s two-up potential. Still, we had a blast scooting around LA. They say you meet the nicest people on a Honda and we certainly found ourselves in a good mood riding the Elite around town. For urban commuters looking for a ride that’s reliable, fuel efficient and, most important, fun, the Elite receives our letter of recommendation.

Honda does know a thing or two - or 65 million - about making smaller-displacement motorcycles. After all the Honda Cub has been running strong for more than a half century now, and its aforementioned 65 million sales makes it the best-selling vehicle of all-time. And by all-time, we mean, all-time - the nearest competition is the Toyota Corolla, registering in the low 30 millions.

Unfortunately, America will continue to remain one of the few areas where you can’t buy a Cub, as the perceived demand is deemed not great enough to warrant bringing it back… Much to Cub fans dismay!

lm2
February 17, 2014 07:29 AM
Her it is My Honda Elite broke down again on november 2013. It has 15000 miles. Yes you heard righ 15000. I killed it. It's giving me some kind of electronics error in the fuel injector. Once again just trying to save up money to get it fixed. The books is a must on any motorcycle. We will see what happens after taxes.

Piglet2010
May 23, 2012 07:13 PM
The NHX110 was available in the UK (as the Lead 110) as a 2011 model, and since Honda (and the other Japanese manufacturers) often skip a model year if inventory is high, it may be back for 2013. The engine and transmission are used in other models also, so I would not worry about parts availability for at least the next decade or more. So far 2,600+ miles on mine, with nothing done to it but the scheduled 600-mile service.

lm2
May 5, 2012 10:11 PM
Well it is done. I fixed it. My Honda Elite 2010 is now purring like a cat. One thing need new gasoline, and more radiator fluid, but the total cost was $286.00 to fix it my self. That was for tools, book, 89.00 parts, and 96 dollars for the Honda dealership Mechanic to tell me it would cost up to $1200.oo to fix it. For some reason the satisfaction of fixing it my self is so great that I feel like I just built chopper. The little scooter is so satisfying to ride that after giving my 9 year old a ride she stated and I quote " Momy it is somuch fun ,that feel free and the wind is in my blood". Would I buy a Honda again? probably. That is because it's the only one I have ridden. I have heard that some Chines scooter take six months to get parts. The One will deffinetly be 150cc or more. Mr Madson Keep up the good work. I get ideas all the time. if you want to torture ride in Central Florida, just look me. lmuniz2@gmail.com

I love my Honda Elite even if it is broken, but if I had a chance to get something better a scooter in the 150cc would be better for me since my trafic area 45 mph and everybody is going 55mph. My top speed was 47mph. Eventhough there are plenty off parts for sale online for the Honda Elite 110 and I just saw a a bunch of scooter in the road for a cure for cance event and I didnt see any Elite's. But beying a Honda product I imagine there will alway be parts available.

lm2
March 26, 2012 03:31 PM
I love my Honda Elite even if it is broken, but if I had a chance I would have gotten in the 150cc. There are planty off parts for sale online for the Honda Elite 110 and I just saw a a bunch of scooter in the road for cance event and I didnt see any Elite's. Going a little bit faster will give you some assurance in high traffic.

federico
March 14, 2012 05:44 AM
Hi everyone! I am a complete novice and I have never owned anything bigger than a road bike. Honda is giving $300 off on the Elite ($2700). Although I like the scooter, my concern is that Honda is not manufacturing this product any longer. Would you guys still buy the Elite or go for -say- Kymco People 150 or the Genuine Buddy 125cc? Thanks a lot!

lm2
March 10, 2012 01:30 PM
Well I back I finally got some money to attemp to fix it. Yes you heard me attempt. Well I took it to the honda dealer and and the estimate was nearly 1,200.00. So I purchased the book and have been prograsively removing parts. I am all the way down to piston. With is the part that has the most damage on it. once I can get off the connecting rod. I'll probably attemp to dissasemble the cylinder head. So far no special tools have been purchased> I might need valve spring compressor. I miss ridding.

Piglet2010
January 20, 2012 02:20 AM
Well, my Elite has been perfect for the first 1300 miles. Unfortunately, it looks like it will stay in the garage for a while, unless I screw studs into the tires (but it is really too nice to expose to road salt).

lm2
December 3, 2011 12:39 PM
Well after a few week of trying to figure out why my 2010 Honda Elite 110 will not start. It comes down to this. Owner error. I cant afford the 60.00 manual and the extra tool's to dissamble the engine. So as soon as that money comes arround I will be taking it to the mechanic instead. Sorry I couldn't give the little man a victory. This one goes to Big Business and the skilled hands of well trained mechanic. I hope.

P.S. I just got in the mail a survay from what looks like a law firm. It looks like its about my satisfaction with my Honda Elite. I have not had the chance to answer back. I am suspicious.

lm2
November 22, 2011 02:00 PM
Well after a few days thoughfull inspection of all basics and a few phone calls to some old school mechanics it seem that problem might be electronic. This is the list of thing I the "non-mechanic" could check.

1-Spark plug just pull spark plug and try to start it if you get spark it looks like it works. compression check by sticking a finger in it to see if the pressure would push it out.

2-Fuel injection- did the same thing as the spark plug. it looks like it works.

3- Muffle- remove and bang it against the ground, then give it some air got flow.

4- Crank shaft- put a wrench on it and turned arround to see if it heard anything. Moves perfectly. no funky noises.

5- Rear wheel/trany- Power drill with sanding bit with out the sand paper just placed it against it and gave some speed. dont know how fast it was going but no noise there other than the drill.

6- Air filter- need a new one, but cleaned the old one for now.

7- crank chain- yep still moving fine.

8- PNC chip? whatever it is- As soon as I get home unpluging the battery to see if it re-sets. If not to the Mechanic. Unless some new idea comes by.

lm2
November 22, 2011 12:29 PM
Ok, over the past few day, Since the waranty expired and I decided not to take the extesion (Bad Choice). I have disasembled my 2010 Honda Elite abs panels and inspected crank,belt, fuel line and injector,spark plug, mufler, I even stuck my cousins finger in the spark plug hole ( anything on a dare )to check compression. all check good. Since the little devil is fuel injected the last thing to do is the computer chip. Dammit, but before I take to doctor. A good friend disconect the battery to see if it reset the chip. That will be over this weekend.

lm2
November 15, 2011 03:11 PM
I have loved the ride on my 2010 Honda Elite until last night. I reached 6730 mile on in. It was just one day away from ridding it to work nearly every day possible in central Floridas weather and in lost all power in the middle of the road. I went from 45 mph to 0 in lest the 50 feet. The experience was horrible I still had 10 mile to at 11 pm to get home. I dont own a cell phone. It started back up but would no accelerate past 20 mph and made belt slapping sound as it lost power. So I turned it off and pushed it on the side walk for four miles until my wife showed up afted calling her on a good samaritans cell phone. I still love the little devil, and it will survive this.

Next post will probably be... Can I the "regular scooter joe" Fix it my self? and How much damage will this cost?

Piglet2010
November 7, 2011 05:39 PM
Should add, although expensive for what it is, the windshield greatly adds to comfort/warmth in cold weather, with being able to have one's visor partially open without wind blast to the eyes really helping with anti-fogging. An unexpected side benefit is the windshield mounts where the mirrors go, with new mirror mounts on the windshield frame. This moves the mirrors to where they can be adjusted to only show a little bit of my shoulders without having to lean my head over, which makes riding in traffic much safer. I will leave it on for the summer, unless I have custom mirror mounts made the do the same thing. The top case is also pricey for molded plastic, but has helped me to only drive my car a couple of times since getting the Elite. Now Honda just needs to offer the Scarlett Johansson pillion option!

Piglet2010
November 7, 2011 05:26 PM
After the 600-mile initial oil change/break-in period, power has improved. Now my NHX110 will hold a steady 45 mph on hills were it initially would only hold about 40 mph.

Piglet2010
October 6, 2011 08:28 PM
Only complaints are the under-seat storage needs to be about 1/4 inch deeper to fit my XL Bell Vortex, and refueling is a PITA with the shallow tank and filler on the floorboard.

Piglet2010
October 6, 2011 08:25 PM
@ John Lott - 240 pounds is not too big for the Elite, although your speed will drop down to about 40 mph max on a 6% grade.

Piglet2010
October 6, 2011 08:24 PM
DO NOT GET A NHX110 ELITE! ;) I have one and the problem is my commute is too short so the fun ends too soon. And as Madson says, the Elite encourages "detours" to cut around traffic, zooming through traffic, streets "closed" for construction, and other hooliganism. :)

TT
-$500 Bonus bucks offer till 12/31/10
September 2, 2010 07:42 PM
Just moved and really wanted to commute with 2 wheels. Work is all local streets so opted for a scooter. Went to the local Honda dealer and the prices were a bit high, but then found out Honda Co was giving $500 bonus bucks or whatever, off the price which sealed the deal for me. With WOT acceleration it is pretty good, I'm almost always 2-upping and in the hills the scooter CAN accelerate past 35. Have comfortably hit speeds of 45 while 2-upping with some twist left in the throttle on flat roads, brakes are solid, the storage space is better than the PCX. Can fit my XL fullsize helmet (barely) underneath and use the chin straps to hold the 2nd fullsize (M), the M doesn't fit with the XL because it's too tall. Can easily fit 4 grocery bags worth of stuff. Starts up right away every single time. My MPG is terrible so far, probably from constant 2upping and breaking in the motor with 400 miles. I get about 70 mpg. So consider that worst case scenario! FYI while 2-up, weight is about 330 lbs combined. I like the pass through where the feet are. Easily scooted home with a table in that space. That's another thing, sometimes you gotta get creative with scooters!

Henchman
-Great to tear around town
August 17, 2010 07:34 PM
Just picked up the 2010 Elite for my wife today. I had a chance to ride it home from the dealer and I was quite impressed with its handling as well as the ride. Most of my two wheel time is spent on my Electra Glide so needless to say this is a toy compared to that but an enjoyable one and needless to say economical. I finally had to give it up to the wife and she is having a blast with it. I can already see up fighting as to who is going to get to ride it.

Elite - ist 2 B
-Honda Elite - 87's, etc
June 7, 2010 12:57 AM
I thank you folks who own the older Elites. I'm contemplating buying a used 1985 Elite 250, which I understand is in excellent condition, with 44,000 kilometers. Your comments about hill-climbing, acceleration, maintenance, and fuel economy have helped my in my pondering. I'm going to have an interesting time getting used to small wheels, and not straddling the machine.

I must say that with the economies, and an inclination for "retro", I'm surprised Honda doesn't resurrect the old "65", which had bike-size wheels and scooter-like shielding from the weather. Canada.

John lott
-biker
March 11, 2010 04:59 PM
Sounds like a lot of fun to ride. The video had too much pre and post ads. My son-in-law just bought one of these today. I think it will be advantageous for him in Denver to commute around. I am too big (240lbs)for such a bike but still would love to have one to scoot on.May everyone enjoy the fun of the Elite 110.John Lott

superjohn
-Genunine buddy scooter 150cc
March 10, 2010 01:34 PM
I have a Genuine buddy 150 and its rather powerful and super reliable i have had it 2 seasons 4k miles so far You can buy them for just over $3000

Phoenix Scott
-Its Great
February 1, 2010 04:00 PM
2 months ago I pruchased this scooter. well it give 100MPG with in the city if you maintain a speed of 35mph.

I rode almost 2000 miles. It pretty Pleasant.

I really wished scooter is little smoother, I personally feel its little louder for a 110 CC Engine. I wish it gives little over 100MPG, Honda promised 108MPG but I only get 100MPG.

After all said and done, These scooter tops every other scooter.

PLEASE DO NOT GO FOR CHINESE SCOOTER. ITS DANGEROUS AND INSURANCE COMPANY WON'T GIVE YOU INSURANCE. EVEN THE DEALERS/SELLERS ARE CULPRIT.

BEFORE BUYING CHINESE SCOOTER SEND AN EMAIL TO Better Business Bureau AND GET THE RATINGS of the seller.

Slim
-Honda Elites
January 25, 2010 10:30 PM
The Hondas are among the most reliable scooters period. I like the new elite, but saw in an article somewhere that it was road tested with an 87 Elite 150. They claim the new elite is faster. BS! The 87 Elite 150 can hit an honest 60mph with a heavy rider. I personally have seen an indicated 68mph downhill, tucked behind a tall windshield. And it should maintain 45-55mph uphill (45 would be on a very steep near vertical hill). It will spank the little 108cc Elite in take off, midrange, and top speed. That article is so misleading. For the record if your old elite 150 wont go past 55mph, and you're under 200lbs, then you have a problem. Maybe worn rollers and/or belt. Try a full tune up, and carb rebuild.

steve
-87 elite 150
October 23, 2009 03:41 PM
i was given an elite 150 by a customer friend who said that a honda mech told him the block was cracked. got it home and started it and it was putting out the biggest cloud of smoke! so i drained the gas and i swear it was so old it looked like pineapple juice i cleaned the carb fuel pump and spark plug... voila! it runs perfectly, it got up to about 53 mph on the highway so i think a new plug may be in order. can anyone tell me if this level of performance is ok and if there are any adjustments to the valves needed

70cc Zuma
-Honda
September 9, 2009 10:43 AM
in vietnam its called LEAD and it cost 1800USD Nice Scooter

joe
-2010 Elite
September 4, 2009 05:14 PM
Just rode my new Elite home today ($3243 out the door). I also own a 2003 Metropolitan. The Elite is a very nice smooth and quite scooter. Love it so far.

Mike Troutner
-Making the 2010 Elite 110 go faster
September 3, 2009 09:14 AM
The 2010 Elite is a solid, smooth scooter. Just got one, out the door, at $3700. Wonder if I got screwed? Anyway, I digress. I love this thing.

If anybody knows how I can make this go faster than the 53 mph.. can you email me at miketrt@yahoo.com. I'm not looking for much, maybe 5-10 mph faster.

Thanks!Mike

Slim
-My 2 cents
August 27, 2009 12:44 AM
Honda finally caught on, and updated the Elite. I guess it's now 110cc, which would naturally be a replacement for the Elite 80. I cant really justify spending $3k for under 125cc. Maybe it's all the technology packed into such a small package. Fuel injection, disk brakes, etc.. It'll sell very well here in the US. I wish Honda would make the Elite in 150, and 250cc. But get off the Piaggio look please. Go back to the look of the 1987 Elite 150, and mildly refresh it for 2010. Add HID lights, and larger wheels but try to keep it under $4k, and people will flock to it. Anyone looking to spend $3-4k on a scooter should just buy a used Elite, and keep the rest for a car. I can honestly say that the Elite 150's are one of the best scooters ever built. None of the air cooled, chinese 150cc junk GY6 scooters can keep up with the Elite. Friends dont like to ride with me, because they have all the show on their bikes: big wheels, chrome rims, Fat pipe, dual headlamps, disk brakes, etc.. I recently let my buddies take off (waiting at the traffic light) on a 2 mile straight away, After they got to about 25mph I then took off. Guess what? I caught up, toyed with them on the throttle, then pulled away. I have yet to see a 150cc that can outrun my 22 year old (1987)Elite 150 stock with a leaky muffler gasket. I can hit 60+ any day of the week, any weather except snow, any temp, you get the picture. The SH150 has the same motor fuel injected. If you like the styling, then it is the spiritual successor to the Elite 150, and the best all around size for a scooter that you will never feel is underpowered. Honda is simply the best when it comes to scooters.

Charles Mace
-Why not?
August 25, 2009 12:44 PM
I have been noticing that the cost of scooters has been increasing. I looked at the Chinese scooters, and I ask myself why not? Buy a scooter from there( China). Did you know that 75 percent of all bikes and scooter parts come from China. So when you think about it that means your name brand bike or scooter(Suzuki, Honda) etc from the gas tank to the tail light came from you guessed it China. If you spend time on line you can find parts to manuals. My bike is a Roadstar 1600, 2003. My scooter is from China,and I like them both. Please do maintenance on them and you will have no troubles if properly driven. So think about the 60s, when someone said I can’t believe someone would by that Japanese junk. Now look at us.

Howling Wof
-What about a new 50cc
August 25, 2009 09:12 AM
I was hoping Honda (and Yamaha) would intro some better/improved 50cc bikes. I don't like the look of the Ruckus/Metropolitan (plus they are getting old). Honda needs a modern updated 50cc (with slightly bigger wheels) scooter. And with the 50cc's (in my state) you don't have to mess with the extra expense/headache of insurance/registration/parking permits and motorcycle license of the bigger than 50cc bikes. For me 50cc is enough power - I stay off the major roads and just whip around on the low traffic back roads..

wast3gate
-Still expensive for what you get...
August 24, 2009 10:02 PM
My trouble is, my '87 Elite 150 makes too much sense. Honest-to-goodness 60 mph, 75 mpg, and even at 22 years-old, still stone reliable.
Did I mention that I have less than $300 in the whole rig -- and it looks nearly as good as the day it rolled off the showroom floor?

RickRussellTX
-How refreshing...
August 24, 2009 07:01 PM
...to see a scooter review written by a US motorcyclist for a US audience that isn't filled with constant hemming and hawing about how it's not as good as a "real motorcycle".

John Knight
-2010 Honda Elite scooter ride
August 24, 2009 06:37 PM
If the cylinder is "slamming" up and down somebody left the cylinder studs, and cylinder head loose. Next time have somebody with some technical knowledge do the review or have 'em stay away from technical comments. Regards.

desmolicious
-comparo time!
August 24, 2009 03:36 PM
Nice review, and this bike seems much more reasonably priced than the 150.

Time to pit it against the Zuma 125, Vino 125, People 150 etc as they are all in the same price range (ok, the People 150 is a lot cheaper).Throw in one of those Chinese 150cc bikes that are selling for $1K! A neighbour picked one up and is raving about it...

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